Ehrlichiosis, a plague upon us

At the outset, it is important to stress that the only consistent findings
among the cases of Ehrlichiosis is inconsistency.

R. Lee Pyle, VMD, MS, DACVIM

I hesitated to broach this vast subject because of the space restrictions of
this article; but, other brave breed columnists have come forward and I feel
I have additional information. Ehrlichiosis has extreme ramifications on the
health of all dogs and the lives of those who care for them.
Ehrlichiosis is a tick-borne
rickettsial disease. Once considered a tropical,
or at least a southern problem, it is now recognized all over the United States.
Actually there are varieties worldwide. It appears anywhere there are ticks.
This disease can be contracted from the bite of an infected tick or in utero
from an infected dam. Ehrlichiosis can lay somewhat dormant for over ten years,
thus confusing its origin. Other issues such as estrus, injury, stress can set
it off. For instance a dog may live in New York City for most of its life
but have contracted the disease as a puppy in the suburbs of New Jersey. When
symptoms emerge, the caregiver could easily miss considering a tick-borne
disease. Tick can be tiny, newly hatched at the size of a pinhead. They can
secrete between toes, in ears, etc., never to be observed. Symptoms often
include bleeding events or bruising, small hemorrhages on the stomach or the
gums. Lameness and roached back, stiff neck, malaise and anorexia. More
frightening are tremors, seizures, various eye damages, paralysis, temperament
changes, and death.

Living in Central Virginia I have had considerable experience with Ehrlichiosis.
It took years of going to various clinics before a veterinarian recognized
the disease. Oddly the patient was a Catahoula. She had become very unpredictably
aggressive at eight-years of age and then became totally paralyzed in her
rear legs. She was so afflicted for several years. On aggressive and persistent
treatment with doxycycline she completely recovered to a healthy useful working
farm dog and lived to be fifteen. A whippet had similar symptoms; a mature
Ibizan had every symptom of ALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease. It became clear I was
living in a battlefield. The area where I live is an endemic area. From
observation I find fifty percent Brown Dog Ticks and fifty percent Lone Star
Ticks. Once recognized and treated all mysterious health issues disappeared.
Symptoms are often confused with aging with weakness in the rear, stumbling
gait, and cognitive deficits. Now my dogs live fourteen or fifteen healthy
active years.

Unfortunately the symptoms are often treated without recognizing the larger
issue of the disease itself. Good news is that aggressive treatment has given
my dogs their health back. Persistence in treatment is important. There are
published guidelines available. Discuss this disease with your veterinarian.
Encourage them to attend Ehrlichiosis and other tick-borne disease symposiums.

Ticks are dangerous disease vectors. Many ticks are carrying several concurrent
diseases. We owners of athletic field dogs have a daunting task protecting
them to function in nature. Until we get a vaccine for this epidemic we must
fight with prevention and antibiotics.